Zak Crawley believes England were getting on top of Australia in the Ashes Test at Old Trafford before all hopes of a result were ruled out due to weather.
The relentless rain allowed just one session to take place across the final two days of play, and Australia retained the Ashes.
However, for the first time in the series, England looked truly dominant, and for whole days rather than just single sessions. When Crawley hit his masterful 189 in the home side’s only innings, Australia were floundering in the field, with dropped catches and overthrows creeping into the game of a side that is typically composed and clinical.
It seemed like the momentum had shifted slightly, and although Australia might have been able to rediscover the form that saw them crowned World Test Championship winners, it remains disappointing that England were not able to level the series and take it to a decider.
“It felt we were getting on top of them for sure and if we’d won this game it would have been very interesting to see how they... well, they’ve got some very good players and would have bounced back but the momentum would have been with us, for sure,” Crawley said.
England were criticised at times during the first two Test matches, largely for their reckless nature with the bat – especially at Lord’s when they slid from 188 for one to 325 all out in reply to Australia’s 416.
But at Headingley and Old Trafford, it was a more composed performance. It was still Bazball, and at times England scored at seven an over, but they also absorbed pressure and did not try to hit the boundary from the first ball, and that was the difference.
Crawley believes they will not change their approach for the Oval, with England needing a victory to level the series and deny Australia a first Ashes victory overseas since 2001.
“We’ll play the same way and to know we can make a big score. It suits us to have a little in the wicket – we’ll see what happens,” the opening batter said.
“That’s the beauty of a five-Test series you get a look at them, work out tactics and nuances. I’ve never played a five-match series before this one.”
Crawley had been under pressure ahead of the series, with questions raised about his ability at the top of the order, but facing Australia has brought out the best in him, and ahead of the final Test he is the series’s top scorer, with 385 runs at an average of 55.
“Fast bowling suits my game,” he said.
“The Australian attack is a quick attack and I think a bit less when they’re faster. I think that just suits my game a bit more. They are unbelievable bowlers, they present different challenges.”
